]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/02/episode-43-anton-szpitalak-from-brewpack/feed/01:45:27In this episode Matt & Pete quickly chew over the Hottest 100 Craft Beers and the recent media discussions of tap contracts. We then catch up with Anton Szpitalak from Brewpack and talk beer, business cycles and and contract brewing...In this episode Matt & Pete quickly chew over the Hottest 100 Craft Beers and the recent media discussions of tap contracts. We then catch up with Anton Szpitalak from Brewpack and talk beer, business cycles and and contract brewing...FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoEpisode 42 — 2014 Hottest 100 Countdownhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-42-2014-hottest-100-countdown/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-42-2014-hottest-100-countdown/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 20:56:17 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=21849The podcast of our first ever live broadcast, of the 2014 Hottest 100 Countdown.

Broadcast from Queensland’s Fortitude Brewing, Matt is joined by brewer Ian Watson with crosses to Pete Mitcham at the Local Taphouse St Kilda and guests Steve Jeffares from The Local Taphouse, publican Corey Crooks from Newcastle’s Grainstore, brewer Dave Padden, Steve Finney from Feral and a surprise call from Feral brewer, Brendan Varis, calling in from LA.

It’s rough, it’s ready, but it captures the excitement of the Hottest 100 Countdown…

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-42-2014-hottest-100-countdown/feed/00:00:01The podcast of our first ever live broadcast, of the 2014 Hottest 100 Countdown.The podcast of our first ever live broadcast, of the 2014 Hottest 100 Countdown.FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoEpisode 41: RBN Wears out the Crown Part IIhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-41-rbn-wears-out-the-crown-part-ii/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-41-rbn-wears-out-the-crown-part-ii/#commentsFri, 23 Jan 2015 00:03:18 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=21792

This week we play part two of Matt’s interview with CUB about the revitalisation attempts for the Crown brand and Tim Ovadia is joined by CUB’s Chief Brewer Jaideep Chandrasekharan about the 2014 Crown Ambassador Reserve, the brewing process and Matt & Jaideep have the first public sampling of the vintage. Later they are joined by Crown’s Marketing Manager, Scott Tindall.

In the intro Matt & Pete muse about KFC’s application to sell beer, which leads into a chat our attitudes to drinking and what shapes them.

And don’t forget Radio Brews News will be broadcasting live for the last two hours of the Hottest 100 Craft Beer Countdown this Monday, 26 January. Listen to it here live, or later as a podcast.

Radio Brews News is proudly supported by

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]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-41-rbn-wears-out-the-crown-part-ii/feed/00:00:01Part two of Matt's interview with CUB about the revitalisation attempts for the Crown brand and Tim Ovadia is joined by CUB's Chief Brewer Jaideep Chandrasekharan about the 2014 Crown Ambassador Reserve...Part two of Matt's interview with CUB about the revitalisation attempts for the Crown brand and Tim Ovadia is joined by CUB's Chief Brewer Jaideep Chandrasekharan about the 2014 Crown Ambassador Reserve...Featured, FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoEpisode 40: RBN Wears out the Crownhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-40-rbn-wears-out-the-crown/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-40-rbn-wears-out-the-crown/#commentsMon, 19 Jan 2015 00:30:25 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=21745 In this episode of Radio Brews News, Matt & Pete discuss the recent controversies about craft beer getting big, hipsters and its growing pains. We also play an interview Matt recorded last year with Tim Ovadia, General Manager Insight & Marketing Capability with CUB. It concludes the stories that we have done in recent years about the true history of Crown Lager, and we discuss the way forward for the beer and the brand including the last year’s release of Crown Golden Ale.

This is part one of the interview, next week we chat with CUB head brewer Jaideep Chandrasekharan about Crown Ambassador’s 2014 release.

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/01/episode-40-rbn-wears-out-the-crown/feed/01:23:22In this episode of Radio Brews News, Matt & Pete discuss the recent controversies about craft beer getting big, hipsters and its growing pains. We also play an interview Matt recorded last year with Tim Ovadia from CUB...In this episode of Radio Brews News, Matt & Pete discuss the recent controversies about craft beer getting big, hipsters and its growing pains. We also play an interview Matt recorded last year with Tim Ovadia from CUB...FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoRBN…A year in reviewhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/rbn-a-year-in-review/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/rbn-a-year-in-review/#commentsTue, 30 Dec 2014 22:32:07 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=21647Matt & Pete see out 2014 by finally catching up to discuss the year that was, and also play an interview recorded earlier in the year with the Editor of All About Beer magazine, John Holl.

We discuss with John the idea of what would beer look like if it was only invented today. We also discuss the idea that there’s a beer bubble developing in the USA and other topics as part of the conversation.

If you get Brews News through your email, you can click here to listen to the podcast, or you can subscribe on iTunes or where ever good podcasts are given away for free.

Radio Brews News is proudly supported by

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]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/rbn-a-year-in-review/feed/01:19:48Matt & Pete see out 2014 by finally catching up to discuss the year that was, and also play an interview recorded earlier in the year with the Editor of All About Beer magazine, John Holl.Matt & Pete see out 2014 by finally catching up to discuss the year that was, and also play an interview recorded earlier in the year with the Editor of All About Beer magazine, John Holl.Featured, FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoYeastie Boys seek love and money for European expansionhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/yeastie-boys-seek-love-and-money-for-european-expansion/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/yeastie-boys-seek-love-and-money-for-european-expansion/#commentsWed, 17 Dec 2014 05:36:40 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=21596

Over the past 6 months Brews News has received at least one request to promote a crowd funding scheme covering everything from a “precision tool for your perfectly crafted beers” aka a bottle opener to “a draft system that serves any beer, fresh from the tap, anywhere you want it”. We also recently received a release about the “world’s first smartphone-controlled home-brewing machine”. Today we received an announcement from Yeastie Boys advising that next year they will be crowd funding expansion into Europe.

I have mixed feelings about the whole crowd funding thing. On one hand, it is an excellent way for new, small and non-traditional businesses to leverage the consumer demand and passion for what they are doing. On the other hand, there is an element of hype and hubris creeping in to the craft beer world that, when combined with a new, loosely regulated funding model, has the potential for disaster for some. With Yeastie Boys’ Stu McKinlay being a great observer of the craft industry and always willing to have a frank chat, Yeastie Boys announcement seemed a great chance to chat about Zen and the art of crowd funding.

If you’re interested in crowd funding, and especially investing in Yeastie Boys, here’s some background to them and their campaign and crowd funding of beer in general…

Media Release

Yeastie Boys set to sell a piece of their pie

Visionary New Zealand brewers – the Yeastie Boys – today announced a highly anticipated sale of shares in their business. From January 28th, friends and fans of Yeastie Boys’ deliciously irreverent ales will be able to buy a piece of the world famous brewing company via an equity crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMe. The capital raised will be used for the development of Yeastie Boys’ production in Britain and sales across Europe.

Following Yeastie Boys success at the Wetherspoon’s International Real Ale Festival in early 2014, an event that saw their beer in front of a million people in more than 900 pubs across Britain, the brewing duo have decided to launch a focussed European campaign by brewing in Britain. The Yeastie Boys second shipment to Britain has just left New Zealand but brewing in Britain will be more sustainable, cutting 25% off their price to market and 6–8 weeks off their lead times for orders.

“We’d already thought of brewing in Britain and locked in a Scottish brewery while we were over there in February” said Directive Creator Sam Possenniskie, “but the fact that our first shipment from New Zealand sold out before it even made it halfway to Britain just pushed our decision forward.”

”The rise of new world styles in Britain, especially in the major cities, is phenomenal” says Stu McKinlay, Yeastie Boys’ Creative Director, “we’re starting to see a very similar pattern of market fragmentation in the UK to what we’ve seen in the USA, over the last two decades, and more recently in New Zealand and Australia. Traditional beer styles, brewed in giant factories, are in slow decline but new world styles are growing rapidly. They’re exciting beers, which sell as much on flavour as they do on brand, and that fits with what we’ve seen in wine, slow food, coffee and other similar areas. It’s a movement rather than a trend and our beers are at the forefront of it.”

While Yeastie Boys have been approached by many potential investors over the years, they’d always been interested in growing their business with people who have a passion for the product – not just the market potential. The emergence of equity crowdfunding finally made their dream a reality.

“Institutional investors would call this dumb money but we call it love money” says Stu McKinlay, “We’re looking for people who we want to high-five acnd hug at our AGM rather than people who simply want us to make them more paper. It all looks a bit new age but, in reality, it’s a technologically assisted step back to the traditional ways that businesses started – friends, family and a whole lot of passionate people who actually want to make the world a better place while they drink great beer and make a few dollars.”

Yeastie Boys plan to raise the capital at the end of January 2015, with the production in Britain planned for April 2015. New Zealand beer lovers will be pleased to know that the move into Europe does not signal a halt in Yeastie Boys’ operations at home.

“We’re still basing everything out of New Zealand with the same lean business model in Britain” said Stu McKinlay, who will set up operations in the northern hemisphere. “New Zealand will always be the home of Yeastie Boys, we’ve still got big plans for Asia, Australia and New Zealand over the next few years. I’ll be back before most people even realise I’m gone!”

ENDS

About Yeastie Boys:

Yeastie Boys is an award-winning Wellington-based brewing company, without their own brewery, who brew super-premium and deliciously irreverent ales all over the world (from Suffolk, through Boston and Adelaide, to Invercargill). The brainchild of Stu McKinlay and Sam Possenniskie — two of New Zealand’s leading beer activists and visionaries – the Yeastie Boys have been picking up trophies, poking their tongues out at convention, and receiving critical acclaim since their launch in 2008.

The Yeastie Boys are leftfield enough to be one of the few breweries who regularly receive hate mail (for their infamous Rex Attitude) but are pleased to report they occasionally receive love letters too! Their beers are available in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, New Caledonia, Norway, Scotland and England.

About PledgeMe:

PledgeMe (www.pledgeme.co.nz) provides a platform for Kiwis to go to their networks for funding, and have raised almost $3 million for over 700 campaigns in the past two years. PledgeMe are the only combined equity and project crowdfunding platform in the world.

Radio Brews News is proudly supported by

and also by

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/12/yeastie-boys-seek-love-and-money-for-european-expansion/feed/00:53:56In this episode of Radio Brews News Matt catches up with Stu McKinlay from Yeastie Boys to discuss the brewery's plans to crowd-fund their expansion into the UK by selling equity through PledgeMe...In this episode of Radio Brews News Matt catches up with Stu McKinlay from Yeastie Boys to discuss the brewery's plans to crowd-fund their expansion into the UK by selling equity through PledgeMe...FeaturedRadio Brews NewscleannoRBN…Crafty’s book and Richard’s ginhttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-craftys-book-and-richards-gin/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-craftys-book-and-richards-gin/#commentsWed, 30 Jul 2014 00:36:37 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=20509 In this episode we catch up with Mr Crafty Pint, James Smith, to discuss his new book 150 Great Australian Beers, as well as Mr Young Henry, Richard Adamson, to talk about his plans for gin.

Being Radio Brews News, and beer being a conversation, we talk about these things and many, many more, including Good Beer Week, tap contracts and Crafty’s mum.

Got some thoughts on this episode? You can post them in the comments section down below, on our Facebook page, or email us. If you like the show rate us on iTunes and help others find us. Finally, if you are reading this in our daily email digest, you can hear the episode here.

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-craftys-book-and-richards-gin/feed/00:00:01This episode we catch up with Mr Crafty Pint, James Smith, to discuss his new book 150 Great Australian Beers, as well as Mr Young Henry, Richard Adamson, to talk about his plans for gin.This episode we catch up with Mr Crafty Pint, James Smith, to discuss his new book 150 Great Australian Beers, as well as Mr Young Henry, Richard Adamson, to talk about his plans for gin.FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoRBN…We give a XXXX about brandinghttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-we-give-a-xxxx-about-branding/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-we-give-a-xxxx-about-branding/#commentsMon, 14 Jul 2014 11:16:18 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=20349

Welcome to Radio Brews News.

This is a slightly shorter podcast with one interview, this time with Jack Mesley, Marketing Manager with XXXX.

While for many breweries changing their label may not have huge repercussions, when you have a beer that makes some claims to be Australia’s biggest beer…at least in terms of volume sales, the move can be fraught. XXXX last week announced it was rebranding and, being fascinated by beer marketing, I wanted to find out about what’s involved and the considerations for a brand as big as XXXX.

As you’ll see, with beer being a conversation interviews don’t run to a script and so we ended up talking very widely about the XXXX brand, including whether the beer in the bottle is the same today as it was when Wilhelm Leitner created it 90 years ago. It should be stressed that while there was discussion about how the beer has evolved over the last few decades, XXXX is adamant that only the labels have changed under the current refresh.

You can find and download a PDF of the transcript here. More information about the brand refresh can be seen in the media release below.

Got some thoughts on this episode? You can post them in the comments section down below, on our Facebook page, or email us. If you like the show rate us on iTunes and help others find us. Finally, if you are reading this in our daily email digest, you can hear the episode here.

Media Release

Past meets present as new-look XXXX hits market

Brisbane, Queensland — Beer deliveries are being overhauled at the XXXX brewery today, with some of Brisbane’s most iconic pubs receiving their deliveries the old fashioned way — by horse and cart and the original, XXXX delivery truck.

These special deliveries mark the start of the next chapter in the XXXX story, with a new look for the entire family of XXXX beers.

XXXX Regional Director, Damien Mori said: “Since 1878, XXXX has proudly been a part of the fabric of Australia and much like the iconic XXXX Brewery, the brand has grown and evolved.”

“It was time for a change. Our drinkers wanted it and it was an important step for us to ensure we continued toremain relevant for the next 135 years.

“The new XXXX identity really dials up what XXXX is all about; beers that are perfect for the great Aussie lifestyle, but also respects the 135 year heritage of XXXX. We asked for feedback from our drinkers as we worked up the designs and what we received was overwhelmingly positive,” said Mori.

The new look evolves the iconic XXXX logo, but will also see changes to every can, bottle and carton across XXXX GOLD, XXXX SUMMER BRIGHT LAGER and XXXX BITTER.

Most importantly, whilst the packaging has undergone a major change, there is no change to the beer.

“Today is about acknowledging the extensive history of our iconic brand whilst also celebrating everything there is to love about XXXX. While the packaging and delivery method may have changed over the years, our beers taste exactly the same,” said Mori.

XXXX GOLD, first launched in 1991, remains the country’s leading beer and is driving the development of the midstrength category in Australia.

The oldest member of the family, XXXX BITTER will now recognise the man who created it – Wilhelm ‘Bill’ Leitner, who first brewed XXXX Bitter back in 1924. Ninety years on, the beer stays true to Bill’s recipe and as a special tribute, his signature will appear on every carton.

“Bill is the man that brought the lager style of beer to Queensland, changing the face of the beer market in this great state. It’s only fitting that as we celebrate 90 years of XXXX Bitter, we recognise the very man who created it,” said Mori.

Special guests on hand to officially send off the first delivery included the great grandchildren of Bill; Jamie, Mark and Michael Leitner.

To coincide with the new packaging, the XXXX Brewery’s Packaging Museum has been significantly upgraded, proudly showcasing new items from the brewery’s 135 year old history and new branding will be introduced right across the country encompassing everything from pub awnings to football jerseys.

The unveiling of XXXX’s new look will be supported by new creative campaigns for XXXX GOLD and SUMMER BRIGHT in the coming months as well as digital, PR and promotional activity and ongoing trips to XXXX Island.

–ENDS–

About XXXX

XXXX has been proudly brewing Australia’s favourite beers for more than 135 years. Over this time, countless beers have left the Milton brewery to be enjoyed by beer drinkers right across Australia. The country’s leading beer, XXXX GOLD was first launched in 1991. For more than two decades it has been a supporter of both events and communities across Australia. In 2011, XXXX unveiled XXXX Island — the ultimate destination for mates’ trips away.

This year marks the 90thbirthday of XXXX Bitter, first brewed by William ‘Bill’ Leitner back in 1924. The youngest member of the family, XXXX Summer Bright Lager was launched in 2011.

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/07/rbn-we-give-a-xxxx-about-branding/feed/00:18:44This episode we catch up with XXXX Marketing Manager Jack Mesley to discuss the brand refresh for one of the biggest beer brands in the country...This episode we catch up with XXXX Marketing Manager Jack Mesley to discuss the brand refresh for one of the biggest beer brands in the country...Featured, FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoRBN…My definition is thishttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-my-definition-is-this/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-my-definition-is-this/#commentsWed, 28 May 2014 23:00:27 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=20019In Episode Two of the current season, Matt flies solo and catches up with Dave Bonighton, chair of the Craft Beer Industry Association, about the new definition for craft beer, and the soon-to-be-released consumer website.

Matt also catches up with Paul van de Walle from ABInBev to discuss the challenges of making beer consistent around the world and looks at what is involved in an Australian brewery getting a licence to brew ABInBev’s brands in Australia and the issue of brewed under licence versus imported beer.

Transcripts are now available for our main interviews, and transcripts of the interview with Dave Bonighton can be found here.

A transcript for the interview with Paul van de Walle can be found here.

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-my-definition-is-this/feed/00:43:52Matt flies solo catching up with Dave Bonighton, chair of the Craft Beer Industry Association, about the new definition for craft beer and also with Paul van de Walle from ABInBev to discuss the challenges of making beer consistent around the world.Matt flies solo catching up with Dave Bonighton, chair of the Craft Beer Industry Association, about the new definition for craft beer and also with Paul van de Walle from ABInBev to discuss the challenges of making beer consistent around the world.Featured, FeaturesRadio Brews NewscleannoRBN has the gift of the GABShttp://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-has-the-gift-of-the-gabs/ http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-has-the-gift-of-the-gabs/#commentsMon, 26 May 2014 11:03:23 +0000http://www.brewsnews.com.au/?p=19998In some special bonus content, Matt & Pete snatched some time to catch up over a beer between sessions of last weekend’s Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular. Don’t expect insightful interviews, just Matt & Pete chatting about Good Beer Week, Matt almost apologising for dissing Warnie and the Australian International Beer Awards, including Matt eventually bringing the conversation around to his Australian Beer Media Award.

]]>http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2014/05/rbn-has-the-gift-of-the-gabs/feed/10:24:12In some special bonus content, Matt & Pete snatched some time to catch up over a beer between sessions of last weekend's Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular.In some special bonus content, Matt & Pete snatched some time to catch up over a beer between sessions of last weekend's Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular.FeaturesRadio Brews Newscleanno